LAWRENCE — Three men were arrested when police investigated reports they were unloading stolen property at 15 Ames St. early Tuesday morning.
Officers Robert Michaud and Carleton Trombly arrived at the scene about 3:35 a.m. and saw one of the men, later identified as David Barker, 33, of 15 Ames St., taking a toolbox from a minivan.
When Michaud spoke to him, Barker ran inside the house and into the basement, still carrying the toolbox.
Barker locked the cellar door to keep Michaud out and more officers were called.
A second minivan at the scene had been reported stolen out of Manchester, N.H., and officers found cement blocks in the back, used to support jacked up cars while their tires are stolen. Police found several stacks of new tires and rims in the basement.
Barker was found hiding in a closet, and police forced open a locked door in the basement where they found two other men hiding in an apartment there. A fourth escaped through a small cellar window.
Hector Rivera, 18, of 15 Ames St., and Gabriel Quiles, 18, of 123 Margin St., were both charged with receiving stolen property over $250 and larceny of a motor vehicle.
Inside the cellar apartment police found power tools, shop tools and other property. Two of the items matched tools that had been stolen during a recent break at Taylor Rental, police said. And $23,000 worth of tools were stolen in a break at Fastenall, 106 Marston St., last month.
When the officers contacted the store manager, he told them the brands of tools recovered were exclusive to Fastenall in this area. He went to the police station with a list of items and serial numbers and identified the property that had been taken from his store, police said.
The owner of Taylor Rental went to the station and identified the two tools and other items taken from his store.
Police also contacted Ira Nissan on Route 38 in Tewksbury, which had tires and rims stolen from two cars on the lot. The tires and rims were released to the dealership after they were identified as the property of the dealership.
The other stolen property identified was returned to its owners after it was inventoried and photographed, police said.
